The purpose of this document is to have a consistent policy throughout the department as well as to develop students' time management skills. It reflects usual practices in the business world in which neither success (here: grades) nor deadlines are negotiable.
1. Dissemination of Grades
Regarding internal assessment, class averages and distribution will be displayed graphically by letter grade for each piece of the assessment.
The Grade Point Average only will be returned to the student on their work. At the end of the semester, all internal assessment will be displayed by Student ID with the letter grades for each assignment. All students are requested to check these when posted on the web-based Blackboard – any discrepancies should be reported to the course coordinator as soon as possible.
2. Late Assignments
- Using a late submission penalty is at the discretion of the paper convenor. Where used, information setting out the use of a late submission penalty must be included in the paper material provided to students.
- Where a late submission penalty is used, the standard penalty shall be 5% of the maximum mark per day late or part thereof. For example, if submitted up to 24 hours late, reduce available marks by 5%; 24-48 hours late, reduce available marks by 10% etc. Examples applying this Schedule include:
- An assignment is marked as 17/20 (20 marks being the maximum available marks). If this was submitted one day late, this mark is reduced by 5% of 20 (.15 x 20 = -3) etc.
- An assignment is marked as 25/40 (40 marks being the maximum available marks). If this was submitted one day late, this mark is reduced by 5% of 40 (.15 x 40 = -6) etc.
- All penalty timeframes are inclusive of weekends, public holidays, and university semester breaks and closure times
- Late submitted assignments, without prior approved extensions, will not be accepted after the feedback on the assessment task has been returned to any student by the marker. Timeframes for returning marks should be provided to students in the course outline.
- Assignments submitted after seven days of the deadline, or after feedback is returned if this is less than seven days, also will not be marked.
- Requests for time extensions should normally be applied for prospectively (before the submission deadline), unless there are mitigating circumstances preventing that request being made (e.g., unable to submit the request due to hospital admission, sickness etc). Information regarding the extensions process should be included in the course outline. Approving retrospective extensions is at the discretion of the marker.
3. Extensions
Extensions will be granted only in exceptional circumstances (e.g. illness with supporting medical documentary evidence stating nature and length of impairment, family emergency, provincial or national representative activities) by the appropriate course coordinator.
If the assignment or internal assessment tests count significantly towards the final result then a formal medical certificate is required. As a guideline, an internal assessment component which counts for 20% or more of the final result would be considered significant.
4. Tutors and lecturers are not authorised to give extensions.
Only the course coordinator should be approached (consult the course outline for the person(s) responsible).
Computer problems do not constitute an exceptional circumstance unless it is an officially notified failure of University equipment.
5. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the dishonest use of someone else's words, facts or ideas, without proper acknowledgement. Most students will include other people's ideas and information in their work and assignments - such material may be either quoted or digested and used by students. In either case, acknowledgement is essential. Note that the University of Otago Calendar under Student Conduct Rules Part 1 Section 1 (e) states that no student shall “engage in any dishonest practice as described in regulation 5(b) of the Examinations and Assessment Regulations in connection with an examination or other method of academic work which counts towards the attainment of a pass in any subject.”
For more information, see the Plagiarism and Examination Conduct pages.
6. Problems with group work
Where group work is set and a group is experiencing difficulties, the students should approach their tutor to try to resolve the situation. The tutor will counsel the group, or individuals from the group, on the procedures open to them to resolve group problems (the problem should be raised prior to the work being completed or handed in).
The procedure to be followed is:
1. Students should try to resolve the problems within the group without outside assistance.
2. Students should meet with their tutor to endeavour to resolve outstanding issues.
3. The tutor will arrange for students to meet with the course coordinator who will endeavour to resolve the situation.
This procedure MUST be completed to step 3. before the assignment is submitted for grading. Where there are still unresolved difficulties, step 4. will be implemented.
4. Students will complete a Peer Assessment form (after consultation with the appropriate course coordinator). The form must be submitted to the tutor or course coordinator before any grades are released.
Download Peer Assessment form (PDF)
Course Coordinators reserve the right to require all students to complete peer assessment forms at any time during and/or after submission of an assessed group project. Should there be differences in the peer assessment forms, the student(s) will be required to either submit a written explanation for the discrepancy, or meet with a group comprised of their course coordinator and lecturer(s) and others (as deemed appropriate) to provide an explanation for the discrepancy. A differential allocation of grades may result from this process.
Policy for Examinations, Absences and Impairments
Please refer to the following University Policy for Examinations, Absences and Impairments